


Life in the bowl

by Rhaysha



Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: Coming of Age, F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-04
Updated: 2012-05-15
Packaged: 2017-11-04 20:43:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/398027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhaysha/pseuds/Rhaysha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nataly had always felt out of place, yet she couldn't imagine living anywhere else. She definitely belonged in the lower caverns at Benden Weyr, but where did a young woman who wanted more fit?<br/>Surely there was more to life in the weyr than riding dragons, bedding dragon riders and rearing children in the hope that they too would become dragon riders?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Nocturnal activities

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anickleoradime](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anickleoradime/gifts).



> This is intended as a vignette on Pernese life in a Weyr, but not from a dragonrider perspective. However, I'm not limiting it to that. If it becomes more, it becomes more.

She was awoken by whispers and soft giggles. Oh no! Not again! Nataly rolled over and pulled the pillow around her head. Shona was insatiable, and she’d bought her latest bed mate to their dorm again. She lay still, because if Shona realised that she was awake, odds are she would stop trying to be quiet about it. 

Their room was one of the smallest in the lower caverns in Benden Weyr, only housing six of them. Nataly suspected that it had originally built for another purpose, as unlike other dorm rooms, theirs only had a single teir of alcoves, and they were tall at that. Each of them showed evidence of having had shelving in them at some stage in the past. The other dorm rooms had four or five tiers of sleeping alcoves, they were only tall enough to allow one to sit up, and at one end there were small storage alcoves scratched out. Also, the rooms were much larger, with a minimum of ten alcoves around the base. Some of them were so large that weaving looms had been set up inside, making the most of the spaces available at the base of the weyr. 

Rhiannon, her best friend, was in a room with 29 others, and it was much closer to the dining areas than Nataly’s. She had offered her condolences when Nataly had been assigned to this room, right at the edge of the habitable areas. Personally, Nataly couldn’t be happier. Well, no, she would be happier if Shona didn’t continually bring her bed sport back to their room. Usually the women of the lower caverns either went to a dragon rider’s weyr, or they found somewhere more isolated among the warren of tunnels. Either way, they were far more discrete than Shona. It was only a matter of time before Shona ended up pregnant. 

Nataly had approached her on that subject once, she had a good knowledge of herbs and offered to make the other girl a tincture to stop anything from developing. Shona had looked at her with scorn. 

“I want to have a baby you shell-head. It will mean I’ll be transferred to one of the mothering dorms, and out of this dump!” she rolled her eyes at Nataly. “Honestly, I don’t know why you aren’t trying to get out too!” 

“Well, if that’s what you want, I can make you something to help make you more fertile. You’ve been at it for at least six months, and with the, um, effort you are putting into it, you’ll end up catching something nasty well before you end up with a babe.” She had replied tartly. 

Shona’s face had gone puce, and she had turned and stormed off. Keen to be rid of her, Nataly had made the tincture anyway and had left it on her bed. She had smiled to herself that night when she heard Shona return, alone for once, and after a brief pause she had heard the cork being removed and Shona swallowing. 

That had been three weeks ago, and Shona’s efforts had seemed to redouble. Every night there was a different man, and often she could be seen emerging from the back passages during the day, smiling to herself with her hair mussed and her lips swollen. Within minutes she would be followed by a smirking male, looking satisfied and full of himself. 

Nataly screwed herself further down in the bed, pulling the blankets over her head too. The whispers had been replaced by panting and deeper, darker sounds. It seemed that tonight’s catch was not in for the longer sessions that sometimes made her get up and leave the room to Shona’s laughter. Some of those evening jaunts had nearly landed her in trouble herself. 

Given that their sleeping chamber was so far from the more populated areas, it was a gauntlet that either had to be taken with stealth or with speed. Invariably, at that time of night, the shadows and back tunnels would be full of men looking for release, especially if there had been a mating flight during the day, and if that had happened, sometimes a woman’s denial was not taken seriously. Twice she had needed to flash her belt knife, and once she had even had to use it. That occasion had resulted in a sound scolding from the weyr healer, and not because she had cut him. 

She remembered his hot breath on her cheek as he held her pinned against the wall, on hand hitching up her skirts, and the other with a vice-like grip on her throat, his finger and thumb squeezing on her pulse points until black specks began to float before her eyes. It was dark in the tunnel, the glow having either gone out, or the basket shut. She couldn’t see his face, and she knew that if she passed out she would never know. Reluctantly she let go of his arm, her hands dropping to her sides, and allowed her body to slump, feigning loss of consciousness. 

He chuckled evilly, maintaining his grip while he fumbled with the cords on his pants. In that moment, when he was distracted with clothing, she grabbed her belt knife and ran it up his arm. He released her with a furious cry and then backhanded her so strongly that she actually did pass out. When she woke, she was in the healer’s chambers. Her clothing was intact, and aside from her head and throat she was in no pain, so she knew she had driven him off in time. A discrete search of the entire Weyr by the wingleaders had failed to produce a culprit. 

Two weeks later an errand boy had come for her while she worked on the evening meal, saying that the healer needed her urgently. Leaving one of the other women in charge of the dish she was making, she had hurried across to the rooms where he practiced his art. At the same time as she arrived from one side of the main healing chamber, large enough to accommodate even a bronze dragon, several of the wing-leaders emerged on the other side. At the rear of the chamber Aleron, the weyr-healer was examining a man seated on a high bench beside him. The man seemed to have a blaze of oozing sores up his left arm. Intrigued, Nataly approached them, looking at the pus and blood oozing continually from his arm, and trying not to be sick at the smell. 

Before she reached him, Aleron had come over and grasped her by the arm, leading her firmly several paces away. He pointed to a crate. “Sit”. He said, and then walked back to his patient. He washed the wounds, and then motioned to the gathering of men nearby. “Hold him down, I’m going to need to lance several of these.” 

“Wait! What?” the man on the table shrieked. “What about some Fellis?” 

Aleron gave him a cold look. “Not appropriate for this.” He responded, and opened a drawer, fetching a sharp scalpel. He turned to another cupboard and grabbed another bowl and then to a third cupboard where he came back with a wher-hide strip. “Bite down on it.” He said coarsely. 

Nataly was shocked. Never before had she seen Aleron like this. She had no idea why he wouldn’t give the man fellis, the procedure he was about to do certainly warranted it. The wing leaders took a limb each, one laying across his torso. The man screamed and struggled, but Aleron only used his open mouth to shove the strap in. Two men were required to hold the injured arm still, and then Aleron began. By the time he had drained the fifth wound, the man had passed out, he still twitched with each cut, but the wing leaders no longer had to hold him down. 

Eventually Aleron called over his shoulder for Nataly to get a needle and thread, and by the time she brought them to him, he had cleaned all the muck away and was ready to stitch. When he was done, he put a poultice on the wounds, and wrapped the arm in bandages. He cleaned all of his instruments, and put the scalpel and needle in a bowl of alcohol. Then he took Nataly by the arm again and led her away. 

“Tell me, after you came and helped me recently, did you wash your belt-knife like I told you to?” Nataly thought hard. It had been at least a seven-day since she had helped the healer chop up plants to make his tinctures. She recalled that the last task she had done for him was to chop up some nettles. The cleaver that she had been working with was too heavy and not sharp enough, so she had pulled her knife from her belt and used that instead. Aleron had seen her, and had warned her to clean it well when she was done. She finished the chopping, stored the material in a jar to soften, and just then one of the messenger lads had rushed in to say there had been an accident in the kitchen. They had turned as one and dashed off down the corridor. 

One of the young women had absent-mindedly picked up a pot lid without using a cloth to protect her hand. It was quite badly burnt, and to top it off she had knocked the pot over and the contents of the stew were in the fire. It was rapidly approaching evening meal time, so Aleron had dismissed her to help in the kitchens. She had gone to bed earlier than usual that night, and had been infuriated that Shona had bought not one, but two suitors in quick succession. She had stormed off in a fury and that was when.... 

She looked up at Aleron in shock. “No.” She whispered. He nodded grimly to himself, and left her to go talk to F’nor, who had joined the wing leaders keeping guard on the unconscious man. F’nor’s expression hardened, and he glanced at her before nodding in agreement to something. He turned back to the men, giving them terse instructions, and they took the unconscious man away. 

Aleron returned to her furious. “How many times have I told you to clean up properly after you do something? You can kill someone with a infection transferred, or make them lose a limb. If you kill a dragon or his rider, think of how that affects the entire weyr. I can’t believe you were so careless.” Hot tears ran down her cheeks. He took a deep breath, turning from her then, his body rigid. He paced up and down several times, and suddenly he lashed out with his foot, catching a crate and sending it flying across the room to smash against the wall. Nataly whimpered in fear, and hearing her he spun back, striding over to her and dropping to his knees in front of her. He stroked her hair, and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. “If you had done the right thing, however,” he said to her softly “his cut would never have become infected with nettle rash, and we would never have known it was him.” He held her out at arm’s length. “Please Nataly, in future, be very careful.” He stood and pulled her to her feet. “When I think of what he could have done to you.” The tension in his body returned. “Please, be careful.” He turned her in the direction of the kitchens, and sent her off with a pat on her rump. 

The moaning from the other side of the room reaching a fevered pitch brings her back to the present. Shortly afterwards there is silence. Relief courses through Nataly, it was over again for the night. Usually, Shona limits her night time conquests to one. 

Nataly rose earlier than most of the women in the lower caverns because she worked the hearths, but that meant that likewise she also went to bed earlier. So although Shona was disturbing her now, she drew the line at a larger audience. If the other girls had been here too, Shona would have taken her play-mate elsewhere. Footsteps came from the other side of the room, and Shona laughs. 

“You can come out now, he’s gone.” She sneered. Nataly heard her uncork tonight’s concoction and drink it. Shona never thanked her, never acknowledged her efforts, but she never failed to drink it either. Nataly hoped it worked soon, it wasn’t a pleasant tasting concoction, and if Shona’s patience ran out there was no telling how she would take it out on her. As if reading her mind, the blankets are ripped off of her, and the pillow pulled from around her head and thrown across the room. “This vile stuff had better work soon.” She murmured, before leaving the room in the direction of the bathing chambers.


	2. Hatching

The hum resounded through the chamber, and smiling, Nataly waved off the last of the helpers. "Go on, I can keep an eye on this. Remember and let me know how Calley goes?" She laughed at the half-hearted responses she was getting. Everyone was too excited about what was about to happen, and too relieved at not being the one that had to stay behind and watch over the hearths to really be listening.

Moving from hearth to hearth, adding wood here, stirring there Nataly tried to concentrate on what she was doing. It wasn't that she was so interested in what was happening on the other side of the bowl, but the excitement evident in the hatching thrum was really quite distracting. She was genuinely fond of dragons, Aleron had said that she had a good rapport with them when it came to healing threadscore, but she just wasn't obsessed with them like everyone else seemed to be. Surely there was more to life in the weyr than riding dragons, bedding dragon riders and rearing children in the hope that they too would become dragon riders?

Tonight there would be much celebration, and tomorrow there would be a lot of cleaning up and sore heads. Hatchings always went like this. She didn’t understand why so many dragon riders took a skin-full though. Weren’t they supposed to be remembering the best day of their lives? If she were a dragonrider, she would be celebrating quietly in her weyr with her dragon. She shrugged, adding a bit of salt to one of the pots, maybe that was why she wasn’t a dragon-rider. She counted it as no loss within herself. In fact, now that she thought of it, she had never put herself forward when search was on, so it was quite possible that she had never been examined by a search dragon. Now there was a pointless thought! She had no intention of being searched either. 

Nataly couldn’t believe the turn her thoughts were taking. Really, of all the things to be thinking about when there was work to be done. It had to be the hatching. Judging from the sounds echoing across the weyr, impressions had begun. She smiled fondly, all the successful candidates walked around on a cloud of joy for weeks. It was a lovely time to be in the lower caverns. Seeing them coming in at the end of the day, their new friends taken care of and settled for the night, and the weyrlings exhausted, dirty and barely aware of their surroundings... yet if you looked closely you could see the bewildered joy on their faces. Morale of the entire weyr was raised for months after a hatching. 

She was basting a wherry on the rotisserie when she heard the first riders arrive. That meant that the women would be close behind them, and now was when things really started to happen in the kitchen. Finishing with the ladle, she turned and grabbed the nearest body, directing them to the folding tables to be carried out onto the bowl floor for the feast. Cara appeared, weaving between the men carrying their burdens outside, and she directed the competent woman to begin draining the vegetables that were keeping warm at the side of one of hearths. Grabbing a young lad, she pointed to a pile of plates and bowls sitting on a bench nearby. “Grab some friends, and start setting the tables.” She ordered. Anyone idle was fair game in her books, and she grabbed an astonished Istan rider and instructed him to start carving the roast wherry. She sent two more women over to help him, before directing others to pour the cauldrons of soup into more manageable serving bowls.

Just then, Manora appeared, and surveying the industry around her, she gave Nataly a brief nod of approval before resuming her post and sending Nataly off to fetch the wineskins from the cool room. On her way out to the bowl, she caught up with Rhiannon. 

“Hey, how did Calley go?” Rhiannon was lugging a large pot full of soup. It was an awkward burden, so Nataly slowed her pace to that of her friend. 

“Oh Nat, you should have seen him. He was the smallest one there, and then all the eggs hatched at once it seemed... and he just walked up to his dragon. It was like they were looking for each other. Oh, it was just so....” Rhiannon half-sobbed and sighed. Calley was a favourite in the lower caverns. His mother had died giving birth to him, and instead of being fostered, he was adopted by every female there. It was true that he got into the most trouble, but probably because everyone was looking out for him. 

He had been a twin, and the other baby had gotten stuck. Nataly remembered looking at its head, it was twice the size of Calleys. The birthing woman had cut open the belly to get it out when Shera had died, but the cord was around the baby’s neck and had long since cut off the blood supply to its brain. Calley had been the typical smaller twin, but had never seemed to thrive afterwards. He was never short for food, everyone was always trying to feed him up, but he just never seemed to grow. Even the dragonriders took note of Calley, and early on they said that he would be a rider. Several of the search dragons had confirmed this. 

They were almost at the tables, and Rhiannon had barely regained her composure. Nataly was impatient. “Yes, but what colour did he impress?” She just couldn’t imagine him on a bronze, but maybe that would be enough to encourage him to grow. 

“Oh Nat, his dragon, it’s the most perfect Harper blue!” 

“Indeed it is. Now tell me dear ladies, please tell me that that skin contains Bendon’s wine?” Pleaded a voice behind them. Nataly spun on the spot to be confronted by Masterharper Robinton himself. 

“Oh sir, you startled me. Yes indeed, it’s a white from...” Her voice drifted off as the harper held up his hand to stall her, and with a plaintive gesture held out his goblet. She laughed and filled it for him, their actions now attacting the attention of many around them. 

“Well harper, do you know what it is?” boomed the Mastersmith, joining them. Robinton held up a hand again, and swirled the wine around his mouth, inhaling deeply at the same time, before swallowing. 

“Of course, of course. What a thing to ask me.” He winked at Nataly. “It’s the press of four...” he smelled the wine, “no, five turns ago.” He gestured to her, and Nataly held up the skin, moving her hand so that the markings on the seal tag could be seen. The Masterharper was right of course. There was a round of applause, and Nataly found herself suddenly demanded by seven or eight people at once, all wishing to taste the wine that had brought such a sigh of pleasure from Master Robinton. 

Rhiannon meantime, had deposited her burden on the small serving table, and as fast as she ladled out its contents, they were whisked away by girls in serving aprons to the various tables. Unlike Rhiannon, Nataly had to walk between the tables to serve the guests individually, and so she got to ask her friend no more questions. Nor did she get another chance for the rest of the night, as Manora had them all working hard to do their best to represent their weyr. She could barely move by the time Manora noted her fatigue and sent her off to her early bed. Regardless of whether there was a feast or not tonight, Nataly would be expected to be tending the hearths before dawn – before most people had even woken never mind begun work.


	3. Discoveries

When Nataly woke the next morning, her body refused to get up, it quite simply was too tired and sore. There was snoring coming from the other end of the room, and it smelled of sweat and alcohol. Grimacing she threw her blankets off and lay there for a few minutes more, before sitting up and resting her elbows on her knees. Already her feet throbbed mildly in protest. Of course, her sore feet would pale into insignificance if Manora caught her resting when she should have been getting the hearths ready. 

Slowly and stiffly she shuffled down the length of her sleeping alcove, to the small set of shelves carved into the wall at its foot. In the larger chambers, these shelves would face into the sleeping alcove itself, and the face of the wall would be carved into a ladder for the next tier up. Here, she had more room for her meagre belongings, another good point of sleeping in “the back of beyond” as Rhiannon liked to call it. She grabbed a clean set of clothes and made her way to the bathing rooms. She passed several curtained doorways that led to other sleeping chambers on her way. It never ceased to amaze her how people could sleep through all the noise of the other occupants. Snoring and talking and in one room, someone was breaking wind rather loudly! She was doubly glad she didn’t sleep in there. From the alcove just outside the bathing rooms she grabbed a bag of sweet sand and a towel. Another advantage of rising so early was that she had the bathing chamber to herself. She put her things down on a ledge near the edge of the larger pool, and ducked into the jakes to relieve herself. Afterwards she shucked off the shift she slept in, and eased her aching body into the perpetually warm water. 

“Oooooooh.” She sighed softly, as the warmth eased her aching muscles, and the liquid supported her body. She ducked her head under the water to wet her hair, and then pulled herself back onto the lip of the pool to lather up thoroughly. Rinsing off was another brief moment of pleasure, before she reluctantly got out and dried herself off. She wrapped the large towel around her, before pulling her come out from amongst her clothes where she had tucked it in readiness the night before. Her hair was becoming longer again which pleased her. In the heat of summer she had taken a knife to it one afternoon, allowing Manora to fuss over her later that evening and tidy it up. It was true that it was much cooler on her neck, but the soft straight brown strands were constantly falling across her face and tickling her. She was worried it would end up in the food, so it was good that it was almost of a length that she could tie it back again. 

She dressed rapidly now, hearing stirrings from some of the other early risers. The boys who tended the beasts in the bowl were grumbling as they took the path into the men’s bathing chamber. With a final tug on the cinch at her waist she was ready to face the day. Hurriedly she trotted back to her room to put her things on her bed. She would sort them out after lunch had been served. Then she moved quietly back out into the main dining chamber to begin her day’s work. 

Nataly loved this time of day, when often there was a mist in the bowl and all sounds had an odd muted quality to them. Carefully she cleared out the excess debris from the night hearth, adding more Cromcoal to it, so that the supply of Klah would be ready for the first risers. She tipped out the dregs form the cauldron, putting it aside to be cleaned and grabbed a clean one. Already some of the younger lads were coming back from the lake with fresh water, and she put it into the cauldron and set it over the newly laid fire to warm. One of the younger girls came over to the hearth then, it was her job to make the Klah once the water was beginning to boil. Nataly moved around the room to the various hearths. Some she lit, others she laid out ready, for they would not be used until either lunch or dinner. 

The heavy wher-hide apron and gloves she wore to protect herself from the cinders and ashes were starting to show their age. She made a mental note to bring it to Manora’s attention. They would need replacing in the next seven-day. Gradually life was beginning to stir in the lower caverns. The women came in dribs and drabs, depending upon their duties. Some would be closing the glows and gathering them in, others would be making sure that the darker passages had enough to be lit well. The older women would gather down the end farthest from the bowl. They would sit around one of the trestle tables, shelling peas, cutting vegetables, gossiping and reminiscing. 

Manora arrived then, having had her morning meeting with the Weyrwoman Lessa, and the industry level in the cavern intensified. Manora was a fair woman, but nobody wanted to catch her attention with inactivity. Because of the hatching feast last night, there was more cleaning and sorting to be done this morning, and those affected grumbled, although their voices halted whenever Manora was in their proximity. By the time Nataly had finished with the hearths, the porridge was ready, and she gladly lined up for her bowl. Her feet were still sore from the previous evening, for while the others had had the chance to sit down to watch the hatching, Nataly had had to stand while she moved from hearth to hearth in attendance of the various dishes. She minced back and forth from foot to foot while she shuffled along in the queue for the porridge. At other hearths, the dragon riders were being fed, served by some of the young women. Nataly smiled, hearing the flirting and banter that often went on of a morning. Distracted, she was surprised when her bowl was taken from her hands. 

“Go sit Nataly, I can see your feet are sore. No need to compound it. “ Manora’s sharp eyes took in the condition of her apron. “When you’ve finished, go and see old Gardion, and get yourself fitted for another apron. Do your gloves need replacing too?” Nataly held them up. “Aye, well, get yourself a pair of those as well. Now, go and sit with the others, I’ll bring your food to you.” Yes, Manora was more than fair, and she looked after those under her care very well.

************************************************************************************************************************************************************* 

Nataly was chopping tubers in preparation for dinner when the commotion started. First a messenger came panting for Manora. This was nothing unusual, with her many and varied duties she was often called to various parts of the weyr. When Manora returned and started asking if people had seen Felessan or Lord Jaxom, however, things really started happening. Messengers were sent off to the weyrling barracks and the lake, while Manora led another group toward the sleeping chambers. F’lar, Lessa, Lord Warder Lytol and even the Mastersmith Fandarel and Masterharper Robinton were with them. 

Finishing her basket of tubers, Nataly took it to the girls up at the end of the cavern for them to salt and soak it in preparation for the evening meal tomorrow. She exchanged it for a fresh one of unprepared vegetables that would be served raw this evening, but was interrupted by a tug on her sleeve. 

“Miss Nataly, Manora’s respects. She asks that you oversee the dinner, and could you send anyone you can spare to the viewing tunnel please?” The young boy’s face was ashen, and Nataly smiled to herself. Yes, there would be many a youngster who would be chagrined to know that their secret visits had been long known of. With the weyrwoman’s wrath to be considered, it was likely to be an end to such things. If those two youngsters had decided to expand upon their exploration, however, then there could be trouble indeed. Her own sleeping chamber was one of the outermost rooms in use, but there were many tunnels with unused rooms, and goodness knew how safe they were. Now that they weyr was full of dragons again, it was likely that some of those would be put back into use. She dreaded the thought of more noise in proximity of her sleeping chamber. 

“Thank you Telin. Could you and Ahana round up all the younger children and take them out into the bowl please? I think a game of tag might be called for. Take Serena and Melitta if you need help carrying the very little ones.” That should free up Morgaine and Rachella to help with the search. Quickly she reassigned tasks, freeing up five more women to help search, and sent a messenger off to see what dragonriders could be coaxed into helping. 

With dinner so close to being served, the impact upon the Lower Cavern was minimal, and those who were drawn to the room by the delicious smells were sent off to help with the search. When she had judged that there were probably more people searching than there were tunnels, she began serving the meal. When the boys were found, and she was sure that they would be, there would be an influx of hungry searchers, full of self import and gossip, and unlikely to be inclined to wait. Indeed, it was not long at all before a tide of returning people indicated that the boys were found. Her smile slipped, however, when she noted the messenger cutting across the dining chamber to Aleron’s. If the weyr healer was being summoned, then maybe all was not as well as she could hope. Well, it was out of her hands, and in capable ones at that. She had dinner to see to.


	4. Internal Workings

The morning following the drama with the boys, Nataly found herself summoned to Manora's table during breakfast. The others there were dismissed with their various tasks. It was not so much that Manora held herself apart during meal times, but that she used them to organise the various sections of work under her jurisdiction, and seating the heads of those areas at her table saved time. Nataly had already finished her meal and begun with the cleaning up tasks, and so she found it hard not to fidget while others were doing her work, and casting her curious glances. It was true that she was often trusted by Manora, possibly more so than the other women who worked on meals, but she was still very young to be put in charge of her own team which is what a summons to Manora's table during a meal usually signified.

She was startled to realise that Manora was watching her intently, a gentle smile on her face as she saw Nataly's suspicions gradually dawn on her face. Desperately she went through a mental list of all the section heads. Nobody was in disgrace enough to warrant removal, nobody was ill that she knew of although Tiani was pregnant, it was early on and if were unable to do the work, she would still be able to supervise. Nobody was moving away or retiring that she knew of. In fact, all of the supervisor positions were well and capably filled, as would be expected when working with a Head Woman like Manora. So what on Pern could she possibly want Nataly for?

She looked at Manora in confusion, was she in trouble herself? Had she done something wrong with the evening meal the night before? Her anxiety levels began to rise, and peaked suddenly when she thought of Shona. Oh no! Her herbs to Shona? Was that the problem? Had Shona complained to Manora? No, no, that couldn’t be it. She couldn’t say that the herbs hadn’t helped her fertility, that would likely bring Manora’s wroth down on both of them. Shona could, however lie about it. Yes, that would be more likely. Shona could be quite convincing when she wanted, and if she said the herbs had been for an unwell stomach and had made her feel worse.... Yes, that was more likely it. Nataly’s heart sank, she loved Manora like a mother, and to be reprimanded by her would be awful.

“Peace, child, peace. You aren’t in trouble.” Manora’s eyes twinkled. “Later on, however, you and I are going to discuss what made you turn as white as a fresh-cut tuber.” She chuckled. “Right now, however, we are going to talk about you, and what you would like to do with your life.” She cocked her head on the side, giving Nataly another penetrating look.

“What I would like to do?” squeaked Nataly.

“Nataly,” Manora sighed “child you are exceptional. You do the work of three women, or more, without a word of complaint. You take on leadership when required, and you relinquish it when wise. You are very naturally gifted in management, so much so, that I am considering you as a potential successor. I have mentioned you to the Weyrwoman already.”

The Weyrwoman knew who she was?

“As I have no doubt that you know, I have no need of a new team leader right now, and even if I did, your age is against you. There are many who would do as you ask in a pinch, but not on a daily basis, for all that you have a sound head on your shoulders.” She shook her own, ruefully. “Child, you are wasted here in the kitchen. I have half a mind to send you to another weyr for a while, get used to a different way of doing things. Well, I would if I didn’t have a good idea of what I would be sending you into.”Her lips tightened but she said no more on that. It was the closest Nataly had ever heard Manora come to criticising another weyr. She blanched again at the thought of leaving her beloved Benden. This was her home it was where she belonged, even if she didn’t quite fit. Nataly knew she was too serious for the other young women her age and too young for some of the others even if she did feel more comfortable with them. She thought carefully about her secret wish. Aleron had often said how useful she was, and how good with herbs and threadscore. If she could have one wish, she would go to learn with the Masterhealer Oldive, and return as Aleron’s assistant.

“Speak up child I can see you have something in your heart.” Manora’s hand covered her own on the table, and her eyes peered intently into Nataly’s. Yes, this was why she loved Manora, because no matter what else was going on, Manora cared.

“Well, you know I like working with the herbs, and Aleron says that I am good with threadscore, especially on the dragons....” Her voice drifted off at the disappointment clearly shown on Manora’s face.

“Is that really what you want child? Or is it where you think you will be most useful?” The quiet question was a shock. Of course it was what she wanted, she had always wanted to help no matter where she worked, and she could be really useful as a healer. That way she wouldn’t be far from the kitchens, and so she could still help there too.

That final thought was a shock to her. Was Manora right? Were her heartfelt desires really based on seeking the praise of others? Nataly didn’t realise she had spoken the last aloud until Manora answered her.

“Oh Nataly child!” Manora’s hands came up to cup her face, her thumbs smoothing away the tears that she had been unaware of shedding. “Nataly, I did not mean it like that. You are wonderful, a great asset to us here, and I am proud to have you on my team. Child, you are always working so hard to help others. I was trying to let you know that it is alright for you to think of yourself from time to time. To work toward something that pleases you isn’t necessarily a selfish thing. You could achieve anything you turned your hand to; I have seen you do it time and again. What I don’t often see is a smile on your face. Pride in your work, yes, but not joy in it.”

Manora’s eyes were also full of tears, and it was Nataly’s undoing. She quickly found herself pulled onto the older woman’s lap, and rocked like she was when she was a child. Her foster mother Kindra had been a sensible woman, a hard worker and stable presence in her life. The one thing that she had not provided was the love that Nataly had craved as a child. When she scraped her knee it was cleaned and her face dried, and she was either sent off with a pat on the shoulder, or for a more serious fall was set to a quiet task near the other women.

The first time she had been allowed to scrape vegetables in the kitchen, she had slipped and used the scraper on her finger instead. Kindra had been off cleaning somewhere, and Manora had pulled her onto her lap and soothed her with kisses and soft singing while being rocked. Nataly had never experienced this sort of affection before, and the effect was overwhelming. Kindra had returned to the lower cavern that evening, surprised to see her foster-daughter sound asleep on Manora’s lap, and Manora indulging her and organising her kitchen in a soft voice. One of the other women had told her years later, that she had begun to cry again, every time it was even suggested that she leave Manora’s embrace.

It was those sobs the woman had said quietly, ones that came directly from the heart that earned her that afternoon of grace. They had all taken notice, for normally Nataly was such a quiet and practical child, much older than her years. The desire to be cosseted was so uncharacteristic that everyone in the entire chamber worked more quietly so as not to disturb her. Through everything that Nataly had faced since, the memory of that warm afternoon, cradled lovingly in Manora’s lap had given her enough inner strength to cope.

Now, here she was again. Crying for no reason that she could name, but releasing all the angst that she had buried over the years. There was a sadness in her that she had no name for, and it was so cathartic to let it go, knowing that doing so would not be seen as a weakness or a silliness. She was much too big for Manora’s lap now, her tears dropped onto Manora’s forehead, but still the comfort and the surety was there. When her sobs at last had subsided, Manora handed her a cloth for her nose, and she blew it so loudly, that it made her giggle.

“There child, that’s better. Do you think this one will last you ten years as well?” Manora chided softly. “We all cry from time to time Nataly, it is better to get it out of your system than to hold on to it for so long.” Nataly nodded obediently. “Now, do you feel like telling me what has been worrying you so much of late that you think I would be angry?”

Nataly slid from Manora’s lap and resumed her chair. Quietly she told Manora about Shona’s plan, and her aid using the herbs. Manora snorted.

“That one. I knew she was up to something, but even that is a bit desperate for her. Are things so bad in the rear chambers?”

“No, I love it there, I mean it’s so quiet, and with only six of us, well it’s so private too. I know that the others sometimes talk about the light, and being away from everything, but otherwise I can find nothing to complain of.”

“What of the light child? What is wrong with the light? Don’t they get enough glows?” Manora looked puzzled.

“Oh no, it’s not that.” She paused, but Manora was listening intently and nodding. “Well, it’s just that it is only glows. No natural light gets that far back. In the larger chambers, they have those tunnels, you know, to the outer wall where fresh air and light come in. Our door faces away from the main chamber, so there is just no light in there at all. It suits me, I only go in there to sleep, but the others miss the light.” Manora was nodding.

“Yes, I can see that they would. I had not realised. Well, that I can fix straight away.” She turned around scanning the room, and not finding what she was searching for, she crooked a finger at one of the messenger boys. “Go see if you can find Lina for me please. I think she might be in the lower store room, we’ve a tithing train due tomorrow from Benden. I imagine she is making room and organising things down there. Oh, and Gethris, make sure you take a full basket of glows with you lad, change them over for her too. Give her my compliments and ask her if she would attend me here presently.” Manora’s eyes flicked over her shoulder and she sighed. “Nataly child, go ask Shona to come over here please.” She looked down at several lists in front of her, and started shuffling through them.

Nataly turned to see Shona leaving the healer’s room and hurried over to her. The young woman smirked when she saw Nataly’s red eyes and nose. “Manora wishes to see you.” Shona’s expression turned speculative, as it flicked from the Head Woman to Nataly and back. Brushing past Nataly, she strode confidently to the table.

“Head Woman?” Manora looked over Shona’s shoulder at Nataly and indicated that she should come back.

“So, are you with child then Shona?” She asked brusquely.

Shona’s head snapped around to glare at Nataly, her look promising retribution. “She offered it to me Head Woman, I never asked for it.”

“Aye, and I’ll bet you never missed a dose either. Now answer the question, are you with child?”

Shona’s chin jutted up proudly. “I am Head Woman. Healer Aleron says it is very early, but that he believes I am with child.”

“I see. Well, I guess we had better move you to the mothering chambers then, before we get around to moving your room mates out to nicer quarters.” The look Manora gave Shona was chiding. In return, Shona’s expression darkened and she glared at Nataly. “You should be thanked Shona, if it weren’t for your underhanded manner, I would never have realised how desperate some of you were to move. However, had your requests to be moved been more sensibly made rather than demanded as your due, you could all have been moved sooner. Your methods are unorthodox, but I am sure that your room mates will thank you for changing their situation as well.” I have business to conduct with Lina anyway, so why don’t you go pack your things for moving. Nataly child, go fetch that green rider over there. I’m sure he would be only too glad to help Shona move her things. A woman in her condition should not be taxed with heavy burdens.” With that, she dismissed Shona from her attention, turning it to Lina who had arrived on her other side. Nataly was not sure, but she thought that she saw Manora’s lips twitch. “Nataly, would you be a dear and fetch some Klah for the three of us please?”

Nataly was moving before Manora had even finished her request. Before Nataly had reached the hearth, however, and certainly before Shona had left the room, Manora and Lina threw back their heads laughing raucously. Both women turned pointed looks at Shona who had paused to look back at them, before bursting into even more gales of laughter. She had been worried that Shona's revenge would be instant, with the sly young woman taking the opportunity to turn her attention to Nataly's belongings while supposedly packing her own, but with Manora's seemingly respectful inclusion of the dragonrider, she would be denied that opportunity as well. It seemed that no matter what Shona planned recently, nothing was going her way.


	5. Pathways

Nataly returned with a tray bearing three steaming hot cups of Klah and served the older women before putting her own down. She turned to take her tray back to the hearth, but Manora waved her to sit. Both she and Lina were looking at her speculatively. 

“I still think it is too isolated.”Manora said, obviously continuing a conversation with Lina. 

“Really Manora, who else could you trust? She’s sensible enough; it would certainly be appropriate duties for her and an excellent chance for us to see how she goes in a management position. Just think, it’s a new area, so it will give her a chance to show real leadership skills as she develops it, not just to step into someone else’s role.” 

“Yes, but would she safe enough? You know what Aleron told us about the other week.” Manora gave Nataly a significant look at that, and she realised that Manora was worried that it would happen again. 

“Well, aren’t you going to gate it off anyway?” snorted Lina. 

“Exactly. I don’t want her living in a cage either.” 

Nataly sat perplexed, looking from one woman to the other. What on Pern were they talking about? A cage for her to live in? 

“Oh Manora, if I didn’t know better, I’d swear she was your own.” Lina had clearly had enough. “You need someone you can trust to do this. I have only got room for five to move at the moment, until we settle those girls who weren’t impressed at the last hatching. So she’d be in an even worse situation in that room by herself – nobody around there to hear even if she did get a scream out.” She frowned at Manora “and we both know that that gate need only be shut of an evening. It’s the best solution to many problems, and they all need solving now.” She put her hand fondly on Manora’s arm. “Manora, what is it that is really troubling you?” 

Manora sighed and shook her head ruefully. “I don’t know.” She looked fondly at Nataly. “I guess sometimes it’s just hard to let go, to let them grow up and face the world on their own two feet.” 

“You know Nataly can do this.” Urged Lina quietly. 

“Yes, yes, of course you are right.” The waiting was really beginning to wear on Nataly’s nerves. A new position? A new area? 

“Go on then Manora, she’s dying to know.” Laughed Lina, who rose to her feet then, nodded at them both, and went back to her work. Nataly was surprised by that, Lina’s nod to her had been as an equal. 

“Well Nataly,” Manora began, “it looks like we have a new section of the caves to oversee.” She paused watching Nataly to see if she caught on. 

A new section? What? Where? 

Then the previous night’s fuss came back to her. The two young lads found in the oldest section of the Weyr, rumours of rooms of treasures of the ancients, guards placed strategically at cross-roads to keep out the curious, and important people like the Weyrleaders, the Mastersmith and the Masterharper wandering in and out with frequency. 

“The oldest section found last night?” She whispered, hardly daring to believe her fortune. 

Manora smiled proudly at her. “It will need to be mapped to start with, no point losing people, and there are others who will decide which rooms will be used for what, but the whole section needs overseeing. It will be just you to start with, until we see what needs doing regularly, but there will be someone to sort the glows, and others to keep certain parts clean. I’m sure there will be a guard or two posted, and then maybe a hearth set up out there for klah, for those that will work there long hours into the night. All these things need to be discussed and decided by the Weyrleaders, but a good Head Woman knows a pocketful of trouble when she sees it.” She chuckled to herself soflty. “Lina’s right you know, you are just the right woman to handle it all. So what do you think?” She cocked her head to the side, awaiting an answer. 

“I’m to have a room to myself then, out in the old section?” 

“Yes. Probably two or more. You will need a sleeping chamber, an office and probably a sitting room as well. It solves any number of problems for us. That room that you are in now was originally for storing linen, and now that we’ve so many weyrs in use again, it’s needed. We only had room to move five of you, so it was finding a spot for the last two that held us back. Shona has taken care of herself.” She shook her head. “But you, you were a different kind of problem. I’ve spoken to Lina about you for some time now, and we’ve been trying to find the right place for you. You’re ready to move on, and you are more than capable of taking your own section. It was just finding a section that would take your leadership given your age. Once you prove yourself there, any of them would take you on. So what do you think? Are you ready for a challenge?” 

Nataly thought to herself. A section of her own, to set up as she wished to. A room of her own; rooms even! Most importantly, there would be silence. She would be able to retreat from the hustle and bustle; an end to a different sleeping pattern than most – she would be able to see more of her friends! A chance to grow, a chance to change, a chance to contribute; yes, she was ready for a challenge. Nataly grinned, and nodded her assent to Manora. It was time to start the next chapter of her life. 

**Author's Note:**

> ... thanks to dmdomini for sending me an invite to join.


End file.
